How to Preach

on the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit

© Denzil R. Miller
How to Preach on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
© 2013, Denzil R. Miller. All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
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otherwise—without prior written permission of the copyright owner,
except brief quotations used in connection with reviews in magazines or
newspapers.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are from The Holy
Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by
Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.”

Miller, Denzil R., 1946–

How to Preach on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit / Denzil R. Miller

1. Bible. 2. Theology. 3. Holy Spirit. 4. Pentecostal

Published in the United States of America

AIA Publications, Springfield, MO, USA
2013

Websites:
www.ActsinAfrica.org
www.DecadeofPentecost.org
 Contents

Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 1: Four Preliminary Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Chapter 2: Three Important Goals .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 3: The Sermon Itself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 4: Extending the Altar Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Other Works by the Author .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

 Introduction

Possibly the most significant trend in global Pentecostalism

during the last half of the 20th century, and into the first decade of
the 21st century, has been the precipitous decline in the number of
people being baptized in the Holy Spirit in their churches—along
with the growing number of Pentecostal ministers who have all but
abandoned the Pentecostal message. As a result, across the globe
much of Pentecostalism has been “nominalized,” that is, the
churches have become Pentecostal in name only. Statistics
startlingly reveal that today an overwhelm-ing majority of those
attending Pentecostal churches on every continent have not been
personally baptized in the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in
tongues and zealous witness for Christ (Acts 1:8; 2:4).
This troubling decline in spiritual experience is the result of
many factors. One primary cause, I am convinced, rests squarely
in the lap of Pentecostal ministers, among whom there has been a
conspicuous decrease in preaching and teaching on the subject. In
many instances the practice is almost nonexistent. In my travels
throughout America and Africa I have observed this trend
firsthand.
If this troubling trend is to be reversed there must be a
reawakening among Pentecostal preachers. They must once again
learn how to effectively preach and teach on the empowering work
of the Spirit, and to pray with their members to be filled. In this
study I attempt to address this issue (I have dealt with the issue of
praying with believers to be filled with the Spirit in another booklet
entitled, “Leading Believers into the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.”)

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 Chapter 1:

Four Preliminary
Considerations

As we approach the subject of preaching on the baptism in the

Holy Spirit, it is encouraging to note how this message was a
principal emphasis of the early church as recorded in the book of
Acts. The message of the Spirit’s empowering was an integral part
of what is known as the apostolic kerygma, that is, the message
proclaimed by the apostles in the New Testament. In the very first
message of the new “Age of the Spirit” the subject of Spirit
baptism was a prominent theme. In fact, 40% of Peter’s Pentecost
sermon (10 of 25 verses) addresses the subject of Spirit baptism
(Acts 2:14-18; 32-33; 37-39; then 47b). Significantly, this strong
emphasis on Spirit baptism occurred in a clearly evangelistic
setting where the message of Christ was being proclaimed to the
unconverted!
It has often been noted that 120 disciples were baptized in the
Holy Spirit at Pentecost. That, however, is only part of the story.
Judging from the context, and comparing the content of Peter’s
sermon and his instructions to his hearers (2:38) with the crowd’s
response (v. 41), it can be logically inferred that those 3,000 people
who repented and were baptized in water were also baptized in the
Holy Spirit.
One compelling lesson we learn from this narrative is that, if
the church is going to become and remain a powerful force in the
earth, then every new follower of Jesus Christ must be immediately
lead into the empowering experience of Spirit baptism. And, in
order for this to happen, Pentecostal preachers today, like Peter and

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 Chapter 1: Four Preliminary Considerations

the other apostles, must speak frequently and persuasively on the

subject.
However, before we begin our discussion of how to preach on
the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it is important that we deal with
some other important preliminary considerations. Understanding
these foundational concepts will help to prepare us to more
effectively develop and preach our sermons on Spirit baptism.

Must be a priority
As I have stated above, if the ebbing tide of spiritual fervor in
Pentecostal churches is going to be reversed, Pentecostal preachers
around the world will be required to re-prioritize preaching on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. If we will, as in the book of Acts,
revival will come as believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, if we as preachers once again begin to emphasize
Spirit baptism, we will be traveling in good company, for Jesus
Himself prioritized preaching and teaching on the subject. It is
striking how much He dealt with the subject, especially during His
final days on earth (see Mark 16:18-19; Luke 24:44-49; John
20:21-22; Acts 1:4-8). We would do well to follow His example.
The apostles also prioritized preaching and teaching on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. As I have already noted, Peter
emphasized the topic at Pentecost. He also emphasized the
empowering work of the Spirit in His sermon to the household of
Cornelius at Caesarea resulting in many being filled with the Spirit
(Acts 10:38, 44-47). On another occasion the apostles in Jerusalem
sent Peter and John to address the issue and to pray with the new
believers in Samaria to receive the Spirit (Acts 8:17-18). And it
was Paul’s first concern with the twelve disciples upon his arrival
in Ephesus (19:1-6).
When one understands the purpose of the experience, it is clear
why Jesus and the apostles were so adamant about believers being
filled with the Spirit. Jesus unambiguously stated the central
purpose of Spirit baptism in His final words to the church: “But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). One clear
implication of Jesus’ statement is that, since every believer has

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 Chapter 1: Four Preliminary Considerations

been called to be Christ’s witness to the lost, every believer must

be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, one of the pastor’s
primary responsibilities is to mobilize his or her church for
effective evangelism and missionary outreach, and the first step in
that process is to see the people empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Context matters
Another thing one must understand when preaching on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit is that context matters. In other words,
the focus and overarching emphasis of the church community in
which one is filled with the Spirit will significantly impact how he
or she receives and lives out the experience. The proper scriptural
context for preaching on and receiving the Spirit is preparation for,
and participation in, fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ. In
Jesus’ final promise to the church He permanently wedded the
experience to His mission: “You will receive power ... you will be
my witnesses ... to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The first
disciples received the Spirit on their way to fulfilling Christ’s
commission. Peter declared that God would freely give the Spirit
to those who were obeying God by proclaiming the gospel to the
lost (Acts 5:23, cf. vv. 28-29).
When Spirit baptism is received in a committed evangelistic
context, a powerful missional synergy occurs. This happened
repeatedly in the book of Acts. People who were filled with the
Spirit became powerful proclaimers of Jesus to the lost. I have
personally observed this phenomenon on numerous occasions in
my ministry throughout Africa.
On the other hand, when the Spirit is received in a context
where the missionary purpose of the experience is ignored or
misunderstood, many who receive begin to do strange and
unscriptural things. Rather than witness for Christ, they begin
falling down, shaking, swooning, and the like. In doing these things
they trivialize the experience. They don’t understand that God has
given them the Spirit, not so that they can swoon or fall down, but
so that they can stand up and speak “all the words of this life” to
the lost (Acts 5:20). In all of our preaching on the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, we must consistently teach that the biblical context for
receiving the Spirit is active participation in the mission of God.

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 Chapter 1: Four Preliminary Considerations

Stay focused
Another matter that we must consider is that, as we preach our
sermons on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it is important that we
remain focused. Remember, our goal is to see believers filled
with—and thus empowered by—the Holy Spirit so that they might
effectively proclaim Christ to the lost. Therefore, everything we
say and do must contribute to fulfilling that purpose. All must be
aimed at directing the people to the altar to be empowered by the
Spirit.
It is therefore important that we avoid “rabbit trails” as we
preach. In other words, our sermon must not wander back and forth
from one topic to another as would a child chasing a rabbit. If what
you are saying helps to achieve your goal, use it; if it does not,
discard it. Remember, you are not presenting a comprehensive
survey of all the Bible says about the Holy Spirit; you are
forthrightly calling people to be empowered by the Spirit. You will
have other opportunities to preach and teach on the work of the
Spirit, and on those occasions you can cover other vital topics. As
for now, keep your message short and to the point—and then call
the people to the altar to be filled with the Spirit. In doing this, you
will allow plenty of time for them to pray. Remember, it is better
to preach short and pray long than it is to preach long and pray
short. Therefore, as you preach, make your point and move onto
the next. And finally, move promptly to call the people forward to
receive the Spirit.

Preach with faith

As you deliver your sermon on the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
it is important that you speak from a heart filled with faith. Fully
expect God to keep His promise and to baptize believers in the
Holy Spirit. Keep in mind the wonderful promises of Jesus: “Ask,
and it will be given you” and “Everyone who asks receives” (Luke
11:9-10).
Once a young preacher determined that he wanted to see
people baptized in the Holy Spirit in his ministry, so he began to
preach often on the subject. Sadly, very few were being filled, and
as a result, he became discouraged. One day he decided to visit an
elderly pastor who was known for leading many people into the

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 Chapter 1: Four Preliminary Considerations

experience and to ask him for advice. He told the old preacher,
“When you preach on the baptism in the Holy Spirit many are
immediately filled; however, when I preach on the subject, none
are filled.” The old preacher rose from his chair, leaned forward,
and looked straight at the young preacher. “Young man,” he
bellowed, “you don’t expect God to baptize people in the Holy
Spirit every time you preach on the subject, do you?” “No sir,”
replied the young preacher, “not every time.” Then the old man
smiled and replied, “And that’s why so few are filled.” When we
preach on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, we should preach out of
faith-filled hearts. We must confidently believe that, if we do our
part, God will do His.
And because we are ministering in faith, we will not try to
force the issue. We will simply present the message, pray with the
people, and fully trust God to fulfill His promises. After preaching
several hundred times on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and
praying with thousands to be filled, I can assure you that God is
faithful, and He will fill hungry seekers with His Spirit. There will,
of course, be times when we preach on the subject and no one is
baptized in the Holy Spirit. What should we do on these occasions?
We should not be discouraged, but we must remain determined to
preach the message with strong faith in God’s promises, and in
Him that He will fulfill His word.
In this chapter we have dealt with four crucial issues that
should be addressed as we preach on Spirit baptism. In the next
chapter we will consider three central goals that we must keep in
mind as we preach.

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 Chapter 2:

Three Important Goals

In the last chapter we discussed the importance of remaining

focused on our goal as we preach on the baptism in the Holy
Spirit—that is, the goal of seeing people come forward and be
empowered by the Spirit. One way we remain focused is to, in the
words of the old Negro spiritual, “keep our eyes on the prize.” That
is, we must know clearly the goals we are trying to accomplish and
then build our entire sermon around those goals. I have found that
my preaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit is most effective
when I keep three important goals in mind:

Goal 1: Create desire

The first goal we must keep in mind as we preach on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit is that we seek to create a desire in the
hearts of the hearers to be filled with the Spirit. Jesus spoke of this
desire. On one occasion He said, “Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6
NKJV). On another occasion, when speaking about the Holy Spirit,
He said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow
rivers of living water’” (John 7:7:37-38).
God gives His Spirit to those who ardently desire a deeper
relationship with Him, and to those who want to be effective in
reaching others for Christ. It is therefore important that one of the
preacher’s goals should be to create such desire in the hearts of the
hearers. This, then, begs the question, how can we create this
desire in their hearts? There are at least three ways we may do this:
1. Show them how this experience with the Spirit will enrich
their lives. By being baptized in the Holy Spirit they will be

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 Chapter 2: Three Important Goals

brought into a more intimate relationship with God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. With the baptism in the Holy
Spirit will come an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John
7:37-39: Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Heb.
12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His
work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word,
and for the lost (Mark 16:20).
2. Show them how being baptized in the Spirit will empower
them to be more effective witnesses for Christ. Let them know that
when they are baptized in the Holy Spirit, they will receive power
to be Christ’s witnesses (Acts 1:8). Along with this power to speak
effectively for Christ will come additional power to do the works
of Christ and to challenge demons in the name of Jesus (John
14:12, 16). As they walk in the Spirit and in faith, God will begin
to release spiritual gifts in their lives and ministries.
3. Help them to picture themselves full of the Spirit. As you tell
them these things, help them to picture themselves actually doing
them. You can do this by telling Bible stories and stories from
history of people whom the Spirit empowered and God used. Then,
show them how God will use them too. You may use the
testimonies and stories of other Christians whom you know. And
don’t forget to share with them your personal testimony of being
filled with the Spirit and how it impacted your life. These things
will help them see how God often uses common people to do
uncommon things for Him.

Goal 2: Inspire expectant faith

The Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit is received by faith.
Paul wrote, “We ... receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Gal.
3:14). Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has
said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John
7:38).
When we preach on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, one of our
main aims must be to inspire expectant faith in the hearts of the
hearers. Note that I use the term “expectant faith.” By this I am
talking about a certain state of mind and heart in the believer where
he or she fully expects and keenly anticipates that, in the
immediate present, God will fulfill His promise. Jesus taught us

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 Chapter 2: Three Important Goals

how to pray like this when He said, “Whatever you ask in prayer,
believe that you have received it, and it will be yours (Mark 11:24).
Note carefully that Jesus did not say, “Believe that you will
receive,” placing the answer in the indefinite future, but “believe
that you have received,” placing the answer in the immediate
present. In fact, some New Testament manuscripts read, “Believe
that you are receiving, and it will be yours” (ESV margin note).
One primary goal in preaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
therefore, is to inspire such faith in the hearts of the hearers. I can
think of three ways we can accomplish this:
1. Tell them about the promises of Jesus. The Bible teaches
that “faith comes from hearing ... the word of Christ” (Rom.
10:17). Remind your hearers of the promises of Jesus: “Ask and it
will be given to you ... everyone who asks receives ... the heavenly
Father [will] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke
11:9-13). Assure them that, if they will ask God out of a sincere
heart, He will hear and answer their prayer (see 1 John 5:14-15).
2. Remind them that the gift is for everyone. It is significant
that in the book of Acts every time the Spirit is poured out
everyone present is filled (see Acts 2:4; 4:31; 8:17; 10:44; 19:6).
On the Day of Pentecost “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit”
(Acts 2:4), thus indicating God’s will for His church until Jesus
returns (compare 1:10-11 with 2:33). He wants every believer to be
filled with the Spirit and become His Spirit-empowered witness
(Acts 1:8). After the Spirit was poured out on the disciples on the
Day of Pentecost, Peter encouraged the people who witnessed the
miracle: “The promise is for you and for your children and for all
who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself”
(Acts 2:39). Assure your hearers that the promised gift of the Holy
Spirit is for all of God’s children until Jesus comes
again—including them!
3. Let them know God’s desire. The wonderful truth is that
God desires to give us His Spirit even more than we want to
receive. He is not withholding His Spirit, nor is He playing a game
of hide-and-seek with us. If we are prepared to obey Christ, and
become His witnesses to the lost, God is prepared to empower us
with His Spirit (Acts 5:32; cf. vv. 29). Right now He is standing
with His hand outstretched offering to freely give us the gift of His

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 Chapter 2: Three Important Goals

Spirit (1 Cor. 2:12). We simply need to confidently reach out by

faith and receive.

Goal 3: Bring to clear understanding

A final goal that we must keep in mind as we preach on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit is that we seek to bring the hearers into
a clear understanding of what the experience is and of how it is
received. Let’s look at each of these things:
1. Teach them what the baptism in the Holy Spirit is. As we
prepare and preach our sermon, we must realize that most
Christians have no clear or accurate understanding of the true
nature, purpose, and importance of the experience. We must,
therefore, clearly explain these things to them. Concerning its
nature, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a powerful, life-changing
encounter with God. It is a deeply spiritual and truly supernatural
experience. It is when God the Spirit comes mightily upon a
yielded child of God and fills him or her with His awesome power
and presence.
Its purpose is to bring the committed believer into a more
intimate relationship with the triune God and to empower them to
be witnesses for Christ both at home and to the ends of the earth
(Acts 1:8). As a result, second only to being born again, baptism in
Holy Spirit is the most important experience in the life of any
follower of Jesus. It is therefore essential to emphasize that Jesus
has commanded every one of His followers to be baptized in the
Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5; cf. Eph. 5:18).
2. Teach them how the gift is received. The gift of the Spirit is
received by asking, receiving, and speaking in faith (more on this
in the next chapter). Consequently, it is not received by begging,
crying, or getting worked up into some hyper-emotional state. In
fact, these actions can, and often do, hinder one’s being
authentically baptized in the Holy Spirit. Neither is the baptism in
the Holy Spirit passed on from one believer to another as one
would pass on a piece of merchandise. The experience comes
directly from heaven into the heart of the seeker (Acts 2:2). It is a
gift from the heavenly Father (Luke 11:13) and from Jesus Himself
(Acts 2:32-33). While laying on of hands can, and often does,
inspire the seeker’s faith, and help to facilitate the Spirit’s presence

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 Chapter 2: Three Important Goals

upon the seeker, only Jesus can baptize in the Holy Spirit (Luke
3:16-17), and only the seekers themselves can receive the Spirit by
faith. The gift is received as the recipient exercises a bold, present-
tense, appropriating kind of faith.
It is essential that we keep these things in mind as we prepare
and deliver our sermons. In the next chapter we will continue our
discussion by talking about the sermon itself.

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 Chapter 3:

The Sermon Itself

Our discussion now brings us to the sermon itself. In this

chapter we will focus our discussion on two things, the content of
the sermon and the delivery of the sermon. But first let’s talk a bit
about the nature of the sermon.

Keep it simple
In Chapter 1 we discussed the importance of keeping the
sermon short. We will now discuss the importance of keeping it
simple. One mistake many preachers make when preaching on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit (or, for that matter, on any biblical
subject) is to over complicate the sermon. One of the greatest
compliments I receive when preaching on the baptism in the Holy
Spirit is “You make it so simple!” Remember, you are not giving
a college lecture, you are presenting a simple message to non-
theologically trained people. Therefore, you should resist any
temptation of trying to impress the people with your great
knowledge of the subject. And by all means, don’t come to them
with some “new revelation” from God. When you stand before the
people, simply and clearly tell them what the Bible says.
Oftentimes, when I have heard certain people preach, I get the
strong feeling that they are telling more than they really
understand. On the contrary, as you preach on the baptism in the
Holy Spirit, the people should sense that you know more than you
are actually telling them. Take them step by step through what they
must know and what they must do to receive the Spirit. In your
message aim at achieving the three critical elements of good
communication: clarity (your message should be easy to follow
and easy to understand), conciseness (your message should be

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 Chapter 3: The Sermon Itself

short and to the point), and cogency (your message should be

strong and compelling).

The content of the sermon

In preaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit it helps to see
the sermon as having two main parts. I call these two parts the
message and the instructions.
1. The message. When I speak of “the message,” I am referring
to what we commonly think of as the sermon itself. While the
instructions (discussed in the next section) remain essentially the
same in every sermon on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the
message changes. During this part of the sermon you will teach or
preach on some fresh, pertinent biblical insight concerning the
work of the Spirit in the life of the church or individual Christian.
The message includes the text, the introduction, and body of the
sermon. Time wise, it will make up about half of the sermon. Thus,
in a typical 40 minute sermon the message will take approximately
20 minutes to deliver. Again, work to make your message clear,
concise, and cogent.
2. The instructions. The message is followed by, what I call,
“the instructions.” Some would see this as part of the altar call or
conclusion of the sermon; I see it as more than that. I once read
where Billy Graham was asked, “Billy, when in your sermon do
you begin your altar call?” Dr. Graham answered, “My whole
sermon is an altar call!” The altar call does not begin after the
conclusion, it begins with the text, continues through the
introduction and message, and intensifies during the instructions.
In the message you sought to inspire people to be filled with the
Spirit, now in the instructions, you will tell them exactly what they
must do to receive. While the message varies, the instructions
remain essentially the same each time you preach. As mentioned
above, they will take up about half of your sermon.
You may begin your instructions by saying, “You may be
asking, ‘Pastor, how can I receive this gift of the Holy Spirit that
you’ve been preaching about? How can I be baptized in the Holy
Spirit today?’” You then tell them as clearly and as cogently as
possible what they must do to receive the Spirit, and what they can
expect to happen as they are receiving. Your instructions may

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proceed as follows:

The gift of the Holy Spirit is received by simply asking in

faith. Jesus said that the Spirit flows through “whoever
believes” (John 7:38). Paul taught that we “receive the
promised Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14; cf. v. 5).
In a few moments we will all come forward, and I will lead
you in prayer. Together, we will take three “steps of faith.”
First we will ask in faith, next we will receive by faith, then we
will speak in faith. Let me explain what I mean:
First, we will ask in faith. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be
given to you” (Luke 11:9). He also said, “Whatever you ask for
in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be
yours.” So we will ask, and we will believe that God is
answering our prayer. As we believe, we will sense the Holy
Spirit’s coming upon us, just as He came upon the disciples in
the book of Acts (1:8; 2:3, 17; 8:16; 10:44; 19:6). Be sensitive
to the Spirit and you, too, will sense His presence coming upon
you. We will then wait in the Spirit’s presence for a while. As
you do, open wide your spirit to the Spirit of God.
Next, we will receive by faith. Jesus also said, “Everyone
who asks receives” (Luke 11:10). He was not talking about
passively receiving, as one might receive sunshine on his back,
but about actively reaching out in faith and taking the gift that
God is offering. We do this by “believing that we have
received.” The moment you truly believe that you have
received, the Holy Spirit will rush into your being and fill you
to overflowing. Again, if you will remain open and sensitive to
God, you will sense His Spirit deep within your spirit, in your
“innermost being” (John 7:38 NASB). At this point we will
take our third step of faith.
Finally, we will speak in faith. The Bible says that on the
Day of Pentecost “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
began to speak ...” As they began to speak, the Holy Spirit
who had filled them now flowed through them, and out of
them, and they “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit
gave the utterance” (Acts 2:4). You, too, will begin to speak in
tongues as the Spirit gives you the utterance. The speaking,

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however, will not come from your mind as in regular speech,

but from deep inside where you sense the presence of God.
You will speak out of your spirit (1 Cor. 14:2 NASB). When
this happens, don’t be afraid, just yield yourself more and
more to the Spirit of God. As you do, the words will come
from deep within you. It will be God’s sign to you that He has
empowered you to speak for Him.

Once you have completed your time of instruction, it is time to

call the people forward to be filled and refilled with the Holy
Spirit. (We will discuss the altar call in the next chapter.)

Delivering the sermon

Let’s now talk briefly about sermon delivery. Experience has
taught me that my delivery is most effective when it contains three
critical elements: anointing, passion, and authenticity.
1. Anointing. Jesus preached with an anointing on His life and
words (Luke 4:18-19; John 6:36), as did Peter and John (Acts 4:8),
the apostles (4:33), Stephen (6:8, 10, 15), and Paul (13:9-11). And
so must we, if our words are going to have maximum impact upon
our hearers. As we preach, the people must sense that the Spirit of
the Lord is upon us inspiring our thoughts and empowering our
words. Too often, however, we confuse anointing with a certain
style of preaching (loud, boisterous) or with a certain way of
performing on the platform. But it is neither of these. True
anointing is that mysterious, manifest presence of God that comes
to rest on the Christian worker as he or she speaks, or otherwise
ministers, on Christ’s behalf. It is that inscrutable God-given
quality than can only be appropriated through persistent prayer,
true humility, and genuine consecration to God and His will—and
through complete openness to the Spirit of God.
2. Passion. Effective preaching is passionate preaching, and
true passion arises from deep within one’s being. It is a fervent
gushing forth of the “well springs of the great deep” out from a
man or woman’s soul. True passion is the intense, driving
conviction that what one says is true, and that those who are
listening desperately need to hear and respond to what is being
said. When we preach with such passion, the people will hear it in

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 Chapter 3: The Sermon Itself

our voices, see it in our eyes, and sense it in our words. And,
because of this anointed passion, as on the Day of Pentecost, the
hearers will be “cut to the heart,” and will cry out—if not with
their voices, at least in their hearts—“What must we do? (Acts
2:37).
3. Authenticity. As we preach, we must resist any temptation
to put on a show or to draw undue attention to ourselves. After all,
it is not you nor I who baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit— Jesus
is the baptizer! (Luke 3:16). We must, therefore, be like John who,
when he first introduced Jesus as the baptizer in the Holy Spirit
(John 3:32), reminded the people that He (Jesus) “is more powerful
than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals” (Luke
3:16). And then he added, “He must increase, but I must decrease”
(v. 30). So let it be with us as we preach on the baptism in the Holy
Spirit. We must decrease as Jesus increases.
This means that we must at all times strive to be authentic in
our preaching. To be authentic is to be honest and transparent.
While a few gullible people will fall for about anything a supposed
“man of God” says from the pulpit, most truehearted followers of
Jesus can intuitively sense whether or not a preacher is being
honest with them. And, if he is not, they are repelled. On the other
hand, when the people sense that the preacher is authentic, and that
he or she honestly seeks what is best for them, they are compelled
to listen and to eagerly respond.
Once we have preached our message on the baptism in the
Holy Spirit, and have given the people clear instructions on how
they may receive the experience, the time has come to extend the
invitation for the people to come forward and receive the Spirit for
themselves. We will discuss this important matter in the next
chapter.

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 Chapter 4:

Extending the Altar Call

Once you have delivered the “message” and clearly presented

the “instruction,” it is time to proceed to the altar call. Everything
you have said and done in your sermon has lead to this point. It is
now time to draw the net and call people to the altar to be filled
with the Spirit. As you do this, it is good to keep the following
things in mind:

Be clear with your instructions

As you extend the invitation for believers to come and be
empowered by the Spirit, it is very important that you be very clear
with your instructions. Often people fail to respond simply because
they are confused about what the preacher wants them to do.
Remember, they are already nervous about the prospect of going
to the front of the church; therefore, unclear, confusing instructions
will further cause them to hold back and not respond. On the other
hand, clear, easy-to-understand instructions will help to settle their
minds concerning what they need to do. This will encourage them
to respond and come forward. Your instructions may go something
like this:

I’m going to ask those who want to be filled or refilled

with the Spirit (or better, “I’m going to ask everyone here”) to
step from where you are now seated, come to the front of the
church, and stand in front of me. When you get here, I will
lead you in a prayer to be filled with the Spirit.

Once they arrive at the front of the church, briefly summarize

the directions you gave to them during the “instructions” part of

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 Chapter 4: Extending the Altar Call

your sermon. Tell them how the prayer time will proceed and how
they will be expected to respond. If you will do these things, you
will find more people responding to the altar call and being filled
with the Spirit.

Call everyone to prayer

As you call people to the front of the church to be filled with
the Spirit, it is almost always best not to aim at just getting a few
select people to come forward. You should, rather, aim at getting
everyone present into the altars to pray. Since being filled with the
Spirit is an experience that must be repeated maintained, the plain
truth is that every person present in the meeting needs either to be
filled or refilled with the Spirit.
What’s more, this “everyone-praying” method more fully
conforms to the scriptural pattern for receiving the Spirit as
presented in the book of Acts. Nowhere in Acts do we have the
model of a few praying to be filled with the Spirit while the
majority are looking on. The scriptural pattern is that new believers
are filled with the Spirit for the first time as more seasoned
disciples are being refilled with the Spirit. This model helps to
ensure that the entire church remains full of the Spirit and
equipped to win the lost to Jesus.
Notwithstanding, we persist in making the mistake of calling
forward only those who have never been filled with the Spirit and
have never before spoken in tongues. I can think of four negative
results of following this flawed model:
1. We send the wrong message. When call forward only those
who have never before received the Spirit, we send the unspoken
message that one filling is enough. With our actions we are saying
to the people, “Since you at some time in the long distant past
spoke in tongues, you don’t need to pray again to be filled with the
Spirit. So, just sit back, relax, and watch the show!” The truth is,
however, that everyone present needs to be filled again and again
with the Spirit. To be once filled with, but not presently full of, the
Spirit is no better than having never received the Spirit. However,
when we call everyone forward to be filled, we remind them that
every follower of Christ needs to be continuously and repeatedly
filled with the Spirit.

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 Chapter 4: Extending the Altar Call

2. We discourage new seekers. Secondly, when we call forward

only those who have never been filled with the Spirit and have
never before spoken in tongues, we make them a spectacle in front
of the congregation. This situation is especially distressing to those
with a shy disposition, and as a result they are discouraged from
coming forward to receive the Spirit. Some even avoid Holy Spirit
emphasis services for fear of again being embarrassed in front of
everyone.
3. The minister is tempted. Another negative consequence of
just calling a few to be filled with the Spirit while the rest of the
congregation watches, is that the pastor sometimes feels pressured
to produce results. He is tempted in two ways: First, because he
fears failure in front of the congregation, he is tempted to neglect
preaching on the subject altogether. Rather than suffer the
humiliation of failing in front of the people, he simply ignores the
subject of Spirit baptism. And secondly, when the pastor finally
does bring himself to preaching on the subject, again, in order to
save face, he is tempted to manipulate or coerce the seekers into
speaking in tongues, or into displaying some other “appropriate”
physical manifestation. After all, isn’t he God’s man of faith and
power? How will he look if the seekers are not in some way
dramatically moved by his prayer? These temptations, however,
can be avoided if everyone is called forward where they can seek
to receive the Spirit together.
As everyone prays together, the first-time seekers can simply
join in with the others to be filled with the Spirit. In this corporate
context they are more likely to be filled with the Spirit since
everyone’s praying together creates an atmosphere permeated with
the manifest presence of the Spirit. This atmosphere serves as a
great aid to those seeking to be filled or refilled with the Spirit.
After this, once everyone has prayed together for a while, it is
sometimes appropriate to ask if there is anyone who wants special
prayer or laying on of hands. Now, as you minister to them, you
can do so with greater confidence, knowing that their hearts have
been made more ready to receive the Spirit of God.
4. The Spirit is grieved. In any given church service the Spirit
of God has come to empower and equip God’s people for the task
before them. However, when the pastor doesn’t give everyone an

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 Chapter 4: Extending the Altar Call

opportunity to be filled or refilled with the Spirit, the will of the

Spirit is thwarted, and His heart is grieved. We can avoid this by
ensuring that we give every person present an opportunity to be
filled or refilled with the Spirit. In doing this God will be honored,
the people will be blessed, and the kingdom of God will be
advanced in the world.

Offer post-prayer counsel

Since the issue of post-prayer counsel is discussed in another
booklet of mine entitled, “Leading Believers into the Baptism in
the Holy Spirit,” I will only briefly address it now.
1. Those have been filled or refilled with the Spirit. If the
seeker has been filled or refilled with the Spirit, remind them that
receiving the Spirit is not an end in itself; it is rather a means to a
greater end. The primary purpose for being filled with the Spirit is
power for witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). You may want to say,
“Being filled with the Spirit is not the end in itself; it is rather a
new beginning. God will now begin to use you in new and
powerful ways. Expect to have new power in your life. Go out
right now and tell someone about Jesus!” You will want to add,
“You should also spend time each day praying in the Spirit, that is,
praying in tongues. This will remind you of the Spirit’s presence
in your life and will ensure that you remain full of the Holy Spirit.”
2. Those who have not been filled with the Spirit. To those who
have not been filled or refilled with the Spirit you will want to give
the following advice and encouragement: Tell them not to be
discouraged and assure them that the promise of Jesus is still true:
“Everyone who asks receives” (Luke 11:10). Tell them that they
should keep asking and they will soon receive; keep seeking and
they will soon find; and to keep knocking and the door will be
opened unto him (cf. Luke 11:9). Ensure them that they will be
given many more opportunities to be filled with the Spirit both in
the church and in home settings.

20
 Conclusion

Scripture teaches us that, from beginning to end, Jesus carried

out His ministry in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. He
began His ministry in the Spirit’s power (Luke 3:22-23; 4:14, 18-
19), continued it in the Spirit’s power (Matt. 12:28; Acts 10:36),
and completed it in that same power (Acts 1:2-3). Throughout His
ministry Jesus went about “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God” (Mark 1:14, KJV; Acts 1:3), and His kingdom proclamation
included the message of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Mark 9:1;
Luke 11:13; 24:49; Acts 1:4-8). And, as I have demonstrated
earlier in this book, once the apostles were filled with the Spirit,
they continued the ministry that Jesus began. Their ministry, like
His, included both a demonstration and proclamation of kingdom
power. They, like their Master before them, became powerful
proclaimers of the message of the Spirit’s empowering work (Acts
2:17-18; 38-39).
I thus end this study with a challenge. I challenge you, as one
of God’s Spirit-empowered messengers, to be like Jesus and the
apostles. I challenge you to preach often and effectively on the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. Make this kingdom message a core
value and common practice of your ministry. It is my sincere
prayer that you will now go out and apply the principles you have
learned from this study. I can assure you that, if you will
consistently preach on the baptism and pray with believers to be
filled, great blessings will follow. Believers’ lives will be enriched,
their ministries will be empowered, and the church will be
mobilized for powerful evangelistic outreach. Decide right now
that this coming Sunday you will preach a message on the baptism
in the Holy Spirit. Then be bold enough to believe God to confirm
His promise and give the Spirit to all who ask Him.

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 Other Works by the Author
Power Ministry: How to Minister in the Spirit’s Power (2004)
(also available in French, Portuguese, Malagasy,
Kinyarwanda, and Chichewa)

Empowered for Global Mission: A Missionary Look at

the Book of Acts (2005)

From Azusa to Africa to the Nations (2005)

(also available in French, Spanish, and Portuguese)

Acts: The Spirit of God in Mission (2007)

In Step with the Spirit: Studies in the Spirit-filled Walk (2008)

The Kingdom and the Power: The Kingdom of God:

A Pentecostal Interpretation (2009)

Experiencing the Spirit: A Study of the Work of the Spirit

in the Life of the Believer (2009)

Teaching in the Spirit (2009)

Power Encounter: Ministering in the Power and

Anointing of the Holy Spirit: Revised (2009)
(also available in Kiswahili)

You Can Minister in God’s Power: A Guide for

Spirit-filled Disciples (2009)

The Spirit of God in Mission: A Vocational Commentary

on the Book of Acts (2011)

22
 Other Works by the Author

Proclaiming Pentecost: 100 Sermon Outlines on the Power of

the Holy Spirit (2011) (Soon to be available in French, Spanish,
Portuguese, and Swahili) (Associate editor with Mark Turney, editor)

Globalizing Pentecostal Missions in Africa (2011)

(Editor, with Enson Lwesya)

The 1:8 Promise of Jesus: The Key to World

Harvest (2012)

Power for Mission: The Africa Assemblies of God Mobilizing

to Reach the Unreached (Editor, 2013)

________________________________________

Other e-Booklets Available

at
www.DecadeofPentecost.org/booklets.htm
________________________________________

The above books are available from

AIA Publications
580-D West Central Street
Springfield, MO, 65803, USA
E-mail: ActsinAfrica@agmd.org

A current price list may be obtained by contacting one of the

above
addresses or by visiting the Acts in Africa website:
http://www.ActsinAfrica.org/bookstore or by writing
ActsinAfrica@agmd.org

23